


Changeling

by Memories_of_the_Shadows



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AMAB character, Exploration of Gender, Gen, Oneshot, Trans Character, this is not a ship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-10 12:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13501918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memories_of_the_Shadows/pseuds/Memories_of_the_Shadows
Summary: Ginny teaches Tom something about himself.





	Changeling

Being a girl suits him, especially a fairly pretty one like Ginevra (“Ginny!” shouts a tinny voice from the back of his mind, the last remnant of the original owner of this body), so much so Tom does not know why he hasn’t tried it before.

He had been an attractive man, if he did say so himself, but he had valued power over that body and quickly lost his looks and any vestige of what people think makes a man. He hadn’t missed it then--he had always been slightly uncomfortable in it, for no reason he could name then--and Tom certainly didn’t miss it now. A small, thin hand smoothes away imaginary wrinkles in his robes, feeling the slight curves of his new body.

‘She,’ Tom tries, as if it were a shirt to wear. ‘I’m a _she_ now.’ It fits like it was tailored for her, and Tom cannot help but smirk at her reflection. Myrtle is sobbing loudly again over some perceived slight or another and even that is unable to shake her good mood.

The only downside Tom can see is that her new body has not gone through puberty quite yet, and is only eleven years old. Still, reliving that as a girl and Gryffindor should alleviate most of the tedium if only for novelty’s sake. She bats her honey brown eyes at the mirror and practices a range of facial expressions. Tom had best get used to being expressive. Ginevra was never a sullen child, even deep into her homesickness and Tom’s clutches.

She is a Gryffindor, and thus safe so long as she acts appropriately. Six and a half years of not needing to fear Dumbledore’s disregard, six and a half years to plot and plan right under his beak. Tom will forever be grateful to Ginevra for the gifts the girl had bestowed upon her. Time, a new body, the ability to go unnoticed once more. And, however unwittingly, showing Tom what she had been missing in her original body. Tom is a generous person, and such gifts never go unrewarded in her subordinates, yet Ginevra is gone and all that is left is Tom.

Tom has never cared for her name, a reminder of her stupid muggle father, and is glad to realize that even unable to go by her first chosen name, Tom is no longer beholden to _that_ name either.

She had done great things, as Voldemort, even limited by Dumbledore as she was. She does not let that name go lightly, but this is a chance to change her society for _her_ betterment and not be blocked at every turn; nay, perhaps even supported by her once arch-rival! Ginevra deserves all she can give the dead girl.

Perhaps she can start by swearing to never kill the Weasleys. No hardship there, even though they may end up disagreeing with her on a few salient points. There are many other ways to secure loyalty, and she knows them all.

But a name, she still needs a name. Her new body is pureblood, despite being a blood traitor, and the least she can do is sound like one. And despite preferring that horrid nickname, Ginevra had a lovely name in the Weasley style.

The poor girl had written pages upon pages of how she may never live up to expectations, how she felt as the youngest of seven, the first girl in seven generations. Another thing Ginevra need never worry about again, because she can be nothing less than great. And doing it all with Ginevra’s name? The greatest gift she can give. History will _never_ forget them, Ginevra will make sure of that.

The door to the bathroom creaks open, and Ginevra supposes they are lucky that Myrtle drives everyone else away, for this body’s brother, Percy, stands there looking worried. _Her_ brother now, too, she supposes.

“Ginny, I hope that you will not be telling anyone about what you saw,” he says, pushing his glasses up his nose nervously. Ginevra smiles, trying to put Percy at ease, because he is a prefect, her older brother, and a pretentious twit but still has power over her.

She racks her memory for the last diary entry: ah, yes, the little girl had stumbled across her brother being a very poor role model in a broom closet with another prefect. Penelope Clearwater if she remembers correctly, a muggleborn Ravenclaw. The smile curves into a smirk for a brief moment. Blackmail material.

“I can keep a secret, Percy,” she says. A light touch, for now, and Ginevra is lucky she is a good actor when she wants to be. Percy sighs heavily, relieved for the moment.

“Good, that’s good,” he replies absently. Ginevra runs a hand through her bright red curls, admiring the color. She will never be just another face in the crowd. Ginevra is patient, though, and more content than she has been in a long time.

It has been a very long time since there has been a Dark Lady, after all, let alone one from Gryffindor. Ginevra wants to do it right, this time, and she grips a wand that feels just slightly off, tosses her head, and goes to greet her new life.

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by [TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel)'s story [Live life like you stole it](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6568390) and I am eternally grateful to them for the idea. I believe I have gone in a different direction though, so if you like this please let me know. I love reading reviews.


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